Not Just Another Number
by Jhiera
Summary: Following their latest number John and Harold run into a new ally and maybe something more for John. John/OC
1. Chapter 1 : The Number

Chapter 1: The number 

He had been following her for a few hours now and to him she seemed just like any ordinary young woman working as a secretary in a multimillion company. Still, in his line of work things rarely turned out to be exactly how they seemed to be. The machine had given them her number and it was never wrong.

He had bluejacked her phone - both personal and office phones - and she seemed very good at her job, fielding aggrieved customers and making sure her boss was appraised of everything. She seemed well-liked by her employer and coworkers and she kept in close contact with the few friends she seemed to have.

"I don't see a reason why the threat would be personal, maybe we should focus on the professional side. There's no telling what goes on in the management of such a company." He said outloud, knowing his employer, Mr Finch, was listening as always.

"I'm inclined to agree, Mr Reese. I'll see what I can dig up on Mr Henders." Finch answered on John's earpiece and he could hear the clacking of Finch's keyboard when the older man set to work.

"I think Ms Cross is about to head out to lunch. I'll follow her and see what I can find out." John ended the call and took one last look at their number through his binoculars. Just at the same moment she looked out her office window and it seemed like she was looking straight at him. She paused in the window for a moment, then shook her head, smiled and headed out the door.

John followed the woman to a nearby cafe and sat down a couple of tables away from her. From his vantage point he could see both the front and back exit of the place and her table. She ordered lunch and and started reading a newspaper. John assessed the other patrons in the cafe and something caught his eye. Two other men were sitting in the two other places in the cafe where you could see the entrances and the woman. He also noticed a man who passed the cafe window three times in only a few minutes.

"Finch, something's about to go down. There's a team of three guys following her."

"What do you suggest we do, Mr Reese?"

"I'll follow her out and make sure they don't trouble her." John kept a steady eye on the woman while she ate, oblivious of the four men keeping watch. 

After finishing lunch, the woman gathered her things and made her way out of the cafe. The two men followed a few paces behind her and John in turn followed them. As they disappeared around the corner John could hear a muffled scream and he started to run. 

The men had grabbed the woman and were putting her into a van. John hit the first guy in the back of the neck and was about to grab the other one when he heard a thud and felt something hit him in the chest. The force of the hit took him down and the men managed to get into the van and sped away. 

"Mr Reese, are you all right? What happened?" Finch's voice floated through the pain in John's chest and he groaned getting on his hands and knees. 

"It was a professional team, they had a sniper on a nearby roof. He shot me in the chest. Lucky I was wearing my vest today." John got up and investigated the damage done to his bulletproof vest. " I think I cracked a couple of ribs but they'll heal. Can you track the van using our numbers' cellphone Finch?" 

"Already on it, Mr Reese. Should you seek medical attention before going after them?" Finch sounded worried, but that's how he always was when John got shot. 

"It'll keep. Give me the location and let's get this over with before they hurt her." John was determined to get to her before anything worse happened. 

She had been blindfolded in the back of the van and she had no idea where she was being taken. She felt herself starting to panic and tried to take deep breaths to keep herself more calm. The van was speeding forward and the men were silent apart from a few groans from the man who had been hit by the mysterious other man in a suit. 

What the hell was happening? Who were these men and what on earth might they want from her? Suddenly the van stopped and she could hear the men getting out from the front. The side door opened and she was roughly yanked to her feet. The men took her inside some sort of building and sat her down on a chair. Then she was tied up and the blindfold was removed. 

Four men were in the room. It appeared to be some kind of warehouse or storage facility. There were a lot of shelves full of boxes and only the one chair and a table. The man who Sonya assumed was the boss was sitting across from her on a crate. 

"What do you want from me?" She asked, trying to sound more confident than she actually was. The men shared a look and one of them spoke. "We've been looking all over for you, Ms Sophia Deveraux. Our boss can't wait to meet you." 

"My name is Sonya Cross, you have the wrong person. Please let me go." She feared the only way they were going to release her was by killing her. The men just laughed and continued to watch her in silence. 

The men turned as one when they heard a loud car honk coming from behind them. The door of the building exploded inwards and a truck came hurtling through it. Sonya screamed and the men dove for cover and took out their guns. Dust was flowing everywhere but she could see a shape of a man in a suit getting out of the truck and starting to shoot at the men keeping her prisoner. 

One of the kidnappers came to her in the confusion and cut her ties, grabbing her roughly and started dragging her towards the back of the room. She tried to struggle free but he was too strong. She could feel a gun aimed at her back. "Stop or I'll but a bullet in you." The man said and Sonya had no choice but to cease her efforts to get free.

Suddenly a shot rang out and the man behind her collapsed, screaming. She could see the suited man coming toward her through the debris and she was about to start running when she heard the man on the ground moving. She saw he was holding something small in his hand and getting ready to throw it at the man in the suit. She had taken only a few steps away from the man so instinctively she decided to put herself between whatever he was throwing and the man who appeared to be saving her. 

She could hear running behind her when something hit her in the chest and bounced to the floor. There was a loud bang and an impossibly bright light and she felt herself falling backwards. The last sensation she had was of two strong hands catching her before she hit the floor.

Reese could see one of the men throwing a grenade and the woman stepping in front of its path. No! He thought as he ran forward, intending to push the woman out of the way. He was too late, the grenade exploded before he could get to her. Fortunately it was only a flash grenade. The woman was looking straight at it as it went off which made her pass out. He managed to grab her and prevent her from hitting the floor.

"Finch, she's down. I need to get her to a doctor!" He told his friend as he carried Sonya to the car and put her in the passenger seat. "Are you sure that's wise? How will you explain her injuries to the doctor?" Finch answered, trying as always to be the voice of reason. Reese took a deep breath, hating the fact that things were always so complicated.

"I'll take the risk. Could you see what you can find out about a person called Sophia Deveraux? The men seemed to think our number was her." He put the car in gear and headed for the nearest hospital.


	2. Chapter 2 : Blind

Chapter 2 : Blind

She came to, feeling groggy. She tried to open her eyes but couldn' t see anything. It took her a while to realize that her eyes were infact open, she just didn't see anything. Her memory slowly came back and she started to panic, thinking that the men who took her were still keeping her locked up.

She heard someone moving near her and violently jerked away from the sound. "Don't touch me! Get away!" She yelled at the darkness, almost falling from wherever she was laying on.

She felt two strong hands taking her wrists and keeping her immobile. "Calm down, Sonya. You are in a hospital. Everything is okay, you're safe." The voice was low and soothing and somehow it made her relax against her better judgement.

"Who are you? Why am I in a hospital?" As she stopped struggling the hands holding her wrists let go. She missed the touch instantly.

"You were kidnapped and while I was trying to get you to safety you were hit by a flash grenade. My name is John Reese and even though you don't know me, I'm here to keep you safe." Nothing made sense to her, she had started thinking that the kidnapping had been a weirdly vivid dream. But something in the man's voice was making her believe him. "Why can't I see anything?" She asked, not really sure she wanted to hear the answer.

"The doctor thinks the flash of the grenade might be responsible for your loss of sight. He doesn't think it will be permanent, but he wants to run some tests now that you're awake. I'll go tell the nurses you're up." He squeezed her hand softly and she could hear him exiting the room.

She could faintly remember a cloud of dist, gunfire and a man in a suit walking towards her. Someone was trying to help me but how can I be sure it was this man? What if he's one of the kidnappers? Should she say something to the doctor when they came back? She couldn't make up her mind and before she knew it she heard people entering the room.

"I see you are up and awake Ms Cross. You were very lucky that the detective found you and brought you here. I'm going to run some tests and then you can be discharged." The doctor came close to her and gently put his hand on her face.

"I'll give you some privacy. I'll be right outside, Sonya, if you need me." The man who had been in the room - his name was John something - said and exited the room. The doctor continued his exam, talking in a soft and gentle voice.

"Mr Reese? " He could hear Finch's voice in his earpiece the moment he stepped outside Sonya's room.

" Yeah, Finch. What is it? " He hadn't really wanted to leave Sonya's side, there was no telling what was going through her head and how she would react. But he trusted his friend to have ears on what was going on and that he would alert him if anything was wrong.

" I've managed to find information on Sophie Devereaux, though it wasn't easy. It appears that our ms. Cross is in fact Ms. Devereaux. Or at least she was before she turned five years old. Her family were victims of a violent home invasion and she was the only survivor. She was placed in a foster family a few states over and to ensure her safety she was given a new identity. She probably doesn't even remember what has happened to her. Both her foster parents are deceased, and I would venture a guess they didn't tell her the truth. "

John was listening intently, his heart going out to the woman in the next room. She had this whole other life she knew nothing about and it was threatening her life now. " Any idea why they'd be after her? Maybe they think she saw something? "

He could hear his friend sighing before he answered. " The police report doesn't even mention her name, I had to hack my way through several databases to find her identity change information. Her parents were high school teachers with nothing unusual in their backgrounds. The police investigation was halted because no witnesses were found and they had no suspects. Also, there was nothing suspicious at the professional front, it's all clean. For this not to be random someone must be after her because of something aboit her parents murder. I'll keep looking but for the time being I think it best if you bring her to the library."

"She might not welcome the idea, Finch,  
>She seemed quite shaken. But don't worry, I won't let her out of my sight." John cut the connection just as the doctor exited Sonya's room. "Will she be alright, doctor?" He asked, looking at the doctor expectantly.<p>

"She's in good health and I am positive her eyesight will return in a few days time. There was no structural damage to her eyes or optic nerves. You can take her home now. The papers are all set." The doctor smiled at John and continued on his way. John put his hand on the doorhandle, sighed and stepped inside.

She heard the door close and sensed that it was the detective that had entered the room.

"The doctor said I'm free to go. But where should I go? Am I safe?" She asked, taking a deep breath and shaking her head abjectedly.

"I will take you to a safehouse until this thing has been sorted out. I will keep you safe. You just have to trust me." His voice was deep and steady. Oddly, she was comforted by his words though she didn't know who this detective might be.

"Shouldn't I be going to a police station first? And how exactly did you know where to find me?" She had suddenly realized that it was really unusual for police to respond so quickly and that it would have taken hours for them to find her.

The detective sighed patiently and she could feel him coming toward her bed. Her hand was covered with two soft and strong ones and her heartbeat picked up and she inhaled sharply. "I promise I'll explain everything. Just trust me for now. Please." She could hear the sincerity in his voice and the added plea made her decide to take his word that he would keep her safe. Somehow it made sense to trust this stranger.

"All right. Against my better judgement I will come with you. " she said, getting out of the hospital bed. She tried to take it slow, but still ended up faltering only to be caught in a steely embrace. "I've got you." He helped her steady herself and then put his other hand on her back while the other held her left hand in a gentle grip. She could feel the warmth radiate from the hand on her lower back and it was really hard to concentrate on walking without seeing anything. Her breathing was getting unsteady and it wasn't from the effort of walking.

Who is this man and why do I feel like this when he touches me? I'm probably still in shock and can't really tell what I'm feeling. She was deep in her thoughts as the detective was heloing and guiding her along. It wasn't long when she could feel fresh air filling her lungs. "The car is right around the corner." He said and soon he was helping her get seated in the passenger seat. As he was getting around the car she took a deep breath and sincerely wished she had made the right choice in trusting this stranger.


	3. Chapter 3 : Apology

Chapter 3 : Apology

She knew the second he stepped into the room. The ambiance of the whole room changed like an electric charge had run through it. His footsteps were slow and hesitant, something was bothering him. She kept fingering the pages of the book like she hadn't noticed him coming in. She had yet to master the skill of reading Braille and she was hoping she wouldn't really have to. Only time would tell if her eyesight would come back, or so the doctor had told her.

His footsteps stopped at the end of the bookshelf a few metres away from where she was sitting on the floor. She could feel him watching her, deep in thought.

"Sonya?" he said, clearing his throat so as not to frighten her.

She instinctively turned her face towards his voice and was disappointed not being able to see him. His voice sounded very reassuring, it instantly made her feel safe. She was finding the fact that only his voice could have such an electrifying effect on her very disturbing. She didn't really know him, but somehow she felt completely safe with him. She gave her best effort to smile at him despite her still not being able to see.

"Yes, detective? Is something the matter?"

She could hear him shuffling his legs uncomfortably before he answered.

"Please, call me John. Everything is all right, I thought it was high time I explained some things to you."

Sonya put the book down and made to rise up, when she faltered and was caught with two strong hands. He gently helped her up and for a few moments they both just stood there, frozen in place. Sonya felt her whole body start to tingle and her cheeks getting warm. She kept her face down, not wanting him to see her blushing like a teenage girl. She felt his hands tighten reflexively, and slowly loosening as if it was taking an effort on him to control his fingers. The silence was getting really heavy and her breathing was becoming unsteady. How could him touching her have such an impact on her senses, it was like she was losing control of her nervous system.

Suddenly he jerked and let go, stepping a few paces back. He again cleared his throat which made her think he was nervous.

"I would appreciate that, det...John. Maybe we should sit down somewhere."

"There's a sofa around the corner. Here, let me help you." He said, putting his hand on her back and started leading her forward. Her walking was unsteady and slow, she was still getting used to relying on her other senses to guide her. She could feel the pressure of his hand on the small of her back and somehow it made it even harder to concentrate on walking. I'm such a git for letting him influence me like this, she thought while they were making their way through the library.

"Here's the sofa." He said, guiding her to sit down.

"Thanks."

Sonya exhaled slowly, making herself comfortable on the sofa. She could hear him moving nervously towards the nearby window. People like him were never nervous or at least didn't show it. He must have something bad to tell me.

"Is there something on your mind, John?" she asked, turning her face towards him.

She could hear him shifting restlessly before he answered. "I don't know where to start explaining all this. There's quite a lot to tell."

"It's something bad, isn't it? Have I gotten myself into some kind of hitlist or something?" She said, sighing deeply and shaking her head. She felt him move to sit beside her on the sofa and taking her hands in his. Her cheeks blushed yet again at the unexpected contact but she didn't try to take her hands away from his grip.

"First of all I'm not actually a detective. " She inhaled sharply and tried to free her hands from his but he kept them in a strong grip." If I was going to hurt you why would I have saved you? I promise I won't hurt you. I told the doctor I was a detective so as not to raise too many questions. We - my friend and I - we help people like you. People who are in trouble. Sometimes we have to resort to methods not exactly in accordance to the law so it's very important for us to stay under the radar. Some very bad people have their eye on you and I consider it my job to keep them from getting to you. If I had another choice I wouldn't have lied to you. "

Her hands had relaxed in his grip of their own accord, she was still apprehensive about what John was telling her. She exhaled slowly and nodded slightly. " Okay, but how can you know when people are in trouble? And why do you feel it's your job to help me? You don't even know me." She heard him sigh, like she had asked the one question he had hoped she wouldn't.

"I'm sorry I can't tell you how I come by my information. But it's my job because I'm the only one who's in a position to help these people. And I don't need to know you to know that you don't deserve to be a victim. "

" Fine, let's say I believe you. Who were those men that took me? And why would they want me? "She decided she wasn't in any immediate danger so she might as well listen what he had to say.

" I don't know who the men were yet but I have and idea why they wanted you. " He took a deep breath and told Sonya all that he had learned from Finch. She was silent but for some small sounds of surprise, disbelief and sorrow.

" This can't be true! I would remember something like that happening. And my parents wouldn't have kept this from me. " She knew she was starting to panic a little and was oddly comforted by his thumbs tracing circles on her knuckles. She could feel tears welling in her eyes and was a little bit shocked when she felt his thumbs swiping them from her cheeks." I'm sorry this hurts you. I wish I could spare you from all this. But I do promise you I will keep you safe. " He took her hands in his again and squeezed them gently.

How could this be happening to her? Nothing ever happened to her. Her life was simple and boring. " Thank you John. For saving me. I can never repay you. "

She felt him pull away slightly and this time it was her hands that kept his in their grip, not letting him draw away. " What's wrong? "

He cleared his throat, clearly a little uncomfortable. " I'm sorry. Sorry I let you get hurt. "

Let her get hurt? He blames himself for her blindness? She could hear the anguish in his voice and her heart went out to him. "I don't remember you making me jump in front of a flashgrenade. It was my choice."

"I was supposed to protect you, not the other way around. I made a mistake and you suffered for it."

She could hear it in his voice, he was angry with himself. She was alive wasn't she? That was a lot more than she'd be without his interference. She smiled tenderly and raised her hand to cup it on his cheek.

"No. You don't get to blame yourself for something I did. I couldn't bear to see you get hurt because you were helping me when I most needed it. You saved my life. I can never repay you for that. And I certainly couldn't live with myself if something had happened to you because I got myself into a mess I couldn't get out of." The second her palm touched his stubbled cheek she heard his sharp intake of breath and felt him stiffen all over. Her own face was reddening and her breathing was a little irrational but she kept her hand where it was because she felt he needed the contact to really hear what she was saying.

For a few moments they both stood there, deep in their own thoughts. Unconciously he lifted his hand to cover hers and it was like lightning had struck her. Her eyes went wide and her breath caught. The emotion filling her was completely new to her and she had no idea what to do with herself. Suddenly she could hear a buzzing sound and John let go of her hand.

"What is it, Finch?"

Sonya knew he had answered a call from his boss, mr Finch, so she kept silent and waited for him to finish.

"I'm on my way." John released her other hand and she instantly missed his touch. "I have to go. Finch found a lead on the people trying to hurt you. I'm going to go check it out."

"Okay. Please be careful."

"Always am."

And with that he was gone. Sonya was left with the silence and her own thoughts once again. How on earth had she gotten herself into a mess like this.

AN - Please leave a review if you have time. I would much appreciate to hear what you thought. Both positive and negative feedback is welcome.


	4. Chapter 4 : Long Night

Chapter 4 : Long Night

She had fallen asleep while trying to decipher the Braille text and woke up with a stiff neck. She looked around her and for a few seconds she wondered how had she come to be in a library. Slowly the events of the past day came back to her and with a jolt she realised she could see! She sprung up from the sofa and danced around a little overjoyed at having the world at her sights again.

"I must go and tell Mr Finch I'm all better!" She took off at a slow run, not actually knowing where to go. She couldn't even begin to guess where she should go so she randomly took a course and started searching for her rescuers.

How big can this place actually be, she wondered after turning into yet another corridor filled with bookshelves. Suddenly she heard a door bang shut and disturbed sounds from a room nearby. She headed for the sound and opened the door, stepping in without hesitation.

"Mr Finch you won't believe..." The words died at her lips as she took in the scene before her. John was slouched in a chair, bleeding profusely from a wound in his side and Mr Finch was rummaging around a first aid kit trying to find something to stem the bleeding. Both men looked at her when she entered, the other with a look of stress and alarm and the other with a smile trying to cover the look of pain that was evident on his face.

"Oh my god, John. What on earth happened to you?" She exclaimed and hurried to his side, kneeling beside him to better see his injuries.

"A guy wanted to do things the hard way and stuck me with a poker. It's nothing, a few stitches and I'm good to go." John answered, gasping when Finch put a little too much pressure on the wound.

"Yeah, sure. Just your average day, is it? " she said looking at him sternly. "How can I help, Finch?" She looked at the older man, waiting for instructions.

"How are you at sewing, Ms Cross?" He replied, holding out a needle and thread. She swallowed, took the offered items and looked straight ar John to see how he would react. His steady gaze was on her and he nodded. She looked at the wound and hesitated. Suddenly she felt John's hand on her arm, instantly calming her down. "It's okay, you can do it. I'm counting on you, Sonya." Hearing her name from his lips sent a shock through her core. Her face took on a concentrated look when she moved her eyes back to the task ahead.

As she sewed gently, she could sense him fighting back the pain she was causing, only slight tremors were showing. Feeling the needle pierce his skin was making her nauseous but she couldn't stop now. Harold had gotten her a medical textbook where they showed how to do simple emergency stitches. She just hoped they were good enough.

She was washing her hands in the bathroom when she felt him standing behind her. His breathing was ragged and she assumed the whiskey she smelled had been taken to numb the worst of the pain. She looked at him through the mirror and was shocked to see the expression of tenderness he had on his face. It was quickly masked by a smirk and a twinkle in his eye when he realised she was looking at him. As their eyes connected she caught her breath at the sudden feeling of warmth that came over her. He was only a few inches behind her and she could feel his bodyheat on her back.

"Thank you, Sonya. I know that wasn't easy for you to do." He smiled at her and touched her on the shoulder. She could see his eyes widening for a second when he realised he was touching her and then he was turning away and leaving the restroom.

She stood there for a while wondering about his abruptness and reveling in his praise. I'm just glad there was something that I could do for you, she thought. She looked at her hands that a moment ago had been red with his blood. He could have died, and all for me. She pressed her hands to fists angry with herself for having been so naive.

She was walking towards one of the bedrooms when she heard a soft moan behind one of the doors she was passing on her way. She stopped and hesitated. She knew it was John who had made the sound. The door was ajar and she could hear him shifting restlessly on the bed. She took a deep breath and decided to take a look inside.

He was lying on his back fast asleep. His brow was furrowed like he was worried about something. She noticed a bottle of pain meds on the nightstand and was glad that he had decided to take some. She heard him mumbling something so she went closer to better hear him. "I'm sorry. Sonya...so sorry." She took a sharp breath, thinking for a second he had woken up but when he remained eyes closed she started breathing easier. She noticed a chair near his bed and decided to sit with him a while.

She indulged herself and took her time looking at him while he slept. In all the excitement earlier she hadn't realised this was the first time she could actually see his face. They were closed now but she had noticed the clear blueness of his eyes that was quite mesmerizing. His features were sharp, but handsome, gorgeous even. He looked really good in the suit pants and white dress shirt though there was a big red stain where his wound was. She couldn't have helped noticing how smooth his skin felt against her fingers when she had sewn him up. His voice matched his looks exactly, strong and safe.

Suddenly he moaned and she instinctively took his hand to offer comfort. Unconsciously he pressed her hand and she couldn't help but smile at him tenderly. I may not be that tough but this is something I actually can do. Before sleep overtook her she wondered how she could have been so lucky as to have him save her.


	5. Chapter 5 : Relocation

/_Sorry for the long wait, life has been hectic lately. I would appreciate you leaving a reply if you read. Thanks. :) /_

Chapter 5 : Relocation

Slowly he came to and opened his eyes to find her asleep with her hand in his and her head beside it on the edge of the bed. It seemed she had stayed with him all night sitting next to his bed holding his hand.

An unfamiliar feeling was making its way through him, a feeling he hadn't allowed himself for a long time. Even now he was hesitant to let it grow and examine it more closely. He had long ago decided he didn't deserve such feelings, not after all he had done.

She looked so peaceful, though he could see small lines of worry on her brow. Might that worry be for him or was she just having troubled dreams? He was loathe to wake her but he really needed to go to the bathroom.

"Sonya. It's time to wake up now." He squeezed her hand a little and before he could stop himself he caressed her cheek softly.

Sonya jerked awake, alarm in her eyes for a moment until she realized where she was. Her cheeks flushed and she took her hand away from his, obviously embarassed having been caught holding his hand while he slept. Slowly a smile spread on her lips and he felt a little tug in his gut.

"Morning, John. I must have been really tired after all that excitement yesterday. I think..." she was looking him straight in the eye and it was like she forgot what she was supposed to say. He smiled reassuringly and couldn't help noticing how her cheeks were pinking up again. Somehow he found himself unable to look away from her either.

"Mr Reese, are you up? It's time to relocate you and Ms. Cross." They could hear Harold saying as he suddenly opened the door and stepped into the room. Sonya blinked, and realizing she had been staring mumbled something and fled from the room. It took a few moment for John before he was able to focus back on Finch.

"Fine, Finch. I'll grab my gear and be with you in a minute. If you could prepare Sonya for our departure while you're at it." John headed for the bathroom, silently cursing himself for letting down his guard around her.

You stupid idiot! Sonya was berating herself while getting a cup of coffee she didn't really want. I need to get a grip on myself. She could hear Harold walking up behind her and braced herself for the probable awkwardness.

"Ms Cross, I think it's time we got you better situated. I have a safehouse where you can stay while John recuperates. You'll be safe there until John and I can resume taking care of your problem. John's getting hurt has delayed our operation a bit I'm afraid." She looked at Finch, nodding in understanding.

"Okay, I'm ready when you are." She took a few steadying breaths and threw away the coffee. She went to get the few things she had in her possession at this moment, keys, phone and jacket. I really should go get some clothes there's no telling how long I'm going to have to stay in hiding.

She was about to go find Finch and ask him about clothes as John walked in and her concentration shattered. Quickly she looked out the window, not wanting him to comment about this morning.

"Are you ready? Finch is waiting outside with the car." She reluctantly turned to look at him managing only to nod a little. She was afraid of what she might say if she opened her mouth. He nodded towards one of the doors and started walking. She followed allowing herself to admire him from the back dressed in a suit and long black coat.

A half an hour later they arrived at a plain-looking brownstone. Sonya had expected some out of way cabin or something like that, not a two-storey apartment building in a respected part of town. They parked in front of number 241 and got out of the car.

"This will be your home for the time being. As you will find, I have taken the liberty of replenishing your food supply and there are some clothes for both of you in your respective bedrooms." Finch stated, letting them in.

As Finch opened the door Sonya could hear the rapping of nails on the floor and see a big brown mass coming towards her. She let out a little shriek of surprise, and stumbled straight into John's chest. John let out a hiss of pain, but grabbed hold of her and prevented her from falling down the stairs.

John uttered some foreign sounding commands and the dog stood to attention immediately. "Sonya, this is Bear. You can let him smell your hand so he knows you are a friend." Tentatively Sonya offered her palm to the dog. Bear sniffed it once and then looked straight at John. He gave another command and then guided Sonya inside the apartment.

"He's gorgeous." Sonya said, motioning towards the dog that was following them inside. John smiled and nodded at her as they arrived in the kitchen. Suddenly she realized what Harold had said before Bear interrupted them. "John will be staying with me?"

She could hear John let out a little chuckle when Finch answered her. "Yes. Though he is out of active duty as you might say, he is still very capable of protecting you if need be. Plus I thought you might agree to help me keep an eye on him so as not to let him overexert himself while he's recuperating."

How could she say no to this sweet-mannered gentleman who was looking at her with the sincerest of expressions. "Of course. I'm glad to help." She retorted silently thinking about how this was supposed to work out. I just have to keep my emotional distance. As she answered, she thought she could feel John relaxing behind her, like he had been waiting for a different answer.

"Then I think I'll let you get settled in. There are medical supplies in the master bathroom of when you need to change your dressings, Mr Reese. I'll be in touch regularly." With that, he nodded to them and exited the apartment.

"I guess I'll go find my room and unpack. Do you need any help with your bag?" Sonya said, turning to look at John. He was staring at her with a beginning of a smirk on his lips. "I can manage, thank you, Sonya." As before, hearing her name from his lips made her feel all warm in her belly. Just keep it cool, she thought and headed upstairs to search for her room.


End file.
